The confirmation of the venue for the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I second round tie between India and Uzbekistan, to be held in April, has marked the forthcoming matchup as a nearer reality than a distant eventuality. It has also rekindled possibilities of roundabout team selection by the All India Tennis Association, thus effectually shifting the focus from the tie to the complicated intricacies of the working of the selection panel.
It is expected that it will be Denis Istomin, who will be leading the visitors’ bid for a win. The 30-year-old, alongside being Uzbekistan’s mainstay in their Davis Cup challenges, has also gained more leverage this year with his surprise ouster of Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open second round. Moreover, he has also ranked inside the top-100 of the ATP singles rankings, which has been bemoaned as a glaring lack among the Indian players in recent days.
As such, it seems to be prudent to draw up a fact-file of India’s available resources on the singles front – in order of their ATP rankings – to pinpoint, who can come up a resolute showing to displace the Uzbek charge and ensure India’s fourth qualification into the World Group Play-offs on the trot.
Saketh Myneni: ATP Rank 220
India’s No. 1, Myneni has not had the best possible start to the year, with a foot injury hindering his progress right at the start of the season. His injury also forced him out of the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I first round tie against New Zealand on its eve, in the first week of February. Consequentially, it led to a fall in his rankings – from at the 199th place in the ATP ranking, Myneni has now dropped down to the 220th spot – which has also made an arduous comeback road, even harder.
In broader terms, Myneni’s vulnerable fitness – despite possessing a solid game off both his flanks along with a bankable serve – has come to jeopardise the longevity of his career even as it has affected his chances to crack into the ATP top-100. While his availability to play the tie against Uzbekistan remains subject to him recovering in time, Myneni’s presence will add to the team’s depth, such as it is.
Ramkumar Ramanathan: ATP Rank 265
Most players boast of a strong forehand as one of the must-need repertoires of their game. In case of Ramanathan, over-hinging on his forehand wing – in his disinclination to place shots through his backhand and instead relying on inside-out forehands – gives unwanted predictability to his game that can be well exploited by his opponents. As has been problematic, the fatigue and tiredness creeping into his game in case of lengthier match duration.
In the longer run, though, the 22-year-old needs to be able to make the transition of not losing his momentum in during matches because of fitness niggles on his own. Just as he needs to focus more towards ascertaining that his game is well-balanced instead of an over-simplification.
Prajnesh Gunneswaran: ATP Rank 319
The sole southpaw among the top Indian singles players, Gunneswaran was almost on the verge of making his Davis Cup debut against New Zealand, before the skipper, Anand Amritraj, went with known variables in his final four-man team composition to see the squad through.
Known for his powerful serves, Gunneswaran has had a unique connection with Istomin’s breakthrough in Melbourne Park. Vying for a main draw wild card in the season’s first Slam, Gunneswaran and Istomin played their hearts out against each other in the semi-final of the Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off.
The match went the distance, with the third set lasting 20 games alone. Gunneswaran had four match points in the 10th game of the set, each of which were saved by Istomin, en route to his eventual clinching of the wild card spot. And, though the 27-year-old’s grit was not enough for him on that eventful day, it went a great deal to reaffirm that Indian tennis has not yet regressed, in spite of suffering innumerable setbacks.
Sumit Nagal: ATP Rank 360
The 2015 junior Wimbledon doubles champion was dropped from India’s Davis Cup tie against New Zealand due to indiscipline. But, before his mistakes were heaped upon him, in the form of layering insult to injury, Nagal went on to demonstrate that he could be one of the assets to shape the future of Indian tennis.
He lost steam at the end of his dead rubber in the 2016 Indo-Spain World Group Play-off against Marc Lopez in September 2016. However, where that result showed that he still has to hit his stride, renewed support from the AITA won’t go remiss in getting him back into the Davis Cup fold, where he belongs.
Yuki Bhambri: ATP Rank 369
Bhambri is that player, with regard to the Indian tennis construct, who makes one want to reiterate the misleading nature of rankings. Nearly a year-and-a-half after peaking in the 88th place of the ATP ranking, Bhambri’s rankings suffered a free-fall as a result of his injury-related absence from the Tour for almost the entirety of the 2016 season.
Slowly making a comeback as he is, hopes have started to be pinned on again on the 24-year-old to rejuvenate the slackening pace of the country’s tennis offering. His game continues to be without weaknesses and if he is able to keep himself injury-free, Bhambri seems to be the most likely to get back into the top-100, and even supersede his own previous career-high.